Student Rates at your club?

[fundy]

It's easy to go drinking when everywhere is £1 a pint!

I can see both sides of the argument. But unless you offer the discounts to students, you won't have students playing at all.

The thing that Irks me, is Seniors getting discount.

Yep of course the poor hard up students need discounts but the OAPs who have been loyal members of the club for 40 years or so deserve nothing

How old are you Dan?

 

[DanFST]

Surely Seniors are likely to have paid full fees for a very long time though.

I don't mind a loyalty based discount EG: member for 10 years it drops x%. But i'm not sure why members who generally use the course most, sometimes pay the least.

Still that's something for a different thread!

 

[virtuocity]

If someone pays a joining fee though surely they are more committed to remaining at that club and paying fees each year so income wouldn't be decreased.

Joining fees should not, IMO, be the way to gain commitment from members. That aside, yes, it is a proven method of keeping people at the clubs for years. But what about those who wouldn't ever consider joining a golf club due to fees? I'm thinking about students who can easily find other ways to spend 8 hours a week. What will they do? I would argue that some would join a cheaper course. The main concern is though (as FairwayDodger points out) is that they might not bother joining a club at all. From a business perspective (which affects members in many cases), it's important to win their custom through forward-thinking offers.

Nomadic golfers will surely join a club at a cheap rate and then simply move on the year after when it's subs time again. Sure there's been posts on here about doing that.

Really easy to blame joining fees for this, but I would argue otherwise. If I was running a club, I would be questioning why we have not done enough to attract students or others in receipt of discounted deals at the club following the cessation of their deal.

Also, not all clubs are struggling. Joining fee at ours and a waiting list for the men.

Then there is absolutely no need for discounted offers. I would be very interested in the numbers of juniors and students at your club. Do they have to pay a joining fee?

Think the only ones with room round here are the ones who have no joining fee or a reduced rate joining fee offer.

A lot of variables involved here. I don't know each of the clubs, but I would very much doubt that a student (and I have to bring things back on topic!) who is interested in joining his/her first golf club would choose to sit on a waiting list at your club whilst there are other offers available to get golfing straight away. I would be very interested to compare the age demographics between those with waiting lists and those without. The key though is that those clubs with availability are working very hard to keep those from moving away to other clubs. My whole contention is based on:


1. Creating a deal to attract new members. Taking the 'it's too expensive' excuse away from people (number one sales technique that I'm sure a lot on here will have used in their jobs before).

2. Providing new members with an immediate welcome and integration into the club

3. Putting measures in place to help these members make a transition from their discounted deals to full rates (options such as starting to pay into a pot on an ad hoc basis to build up their entry fee balance- I don't know, just spitballing)

 

[davidg2010uk]

The problem with "deals" is that you may drum up new business but you can also loose existing members who get annoyed about paying double/triple the guy they are playing with is, for the same service. It's a fine balance!

 

[Deleted member 15344]

We have incremental fees from junior to the age of 30 - we don't really have a uni nearby but the youngsters that go off to uni become country members

 

[SugarPenguin]

Student rates are wrong. I went to University and couldnt afford full-time sub fees.
I do however think they should stagger membership fees up to about 28. I am not being ageist but its more difficult for younger adults to stump massive membership fees as the demographic as a whole do not earn as much money.

 

[virtuocity]

I went to University and couldnt afford full-time sub fees.

So what did you do instead?

If there was a discount available, would you have taken it?

Would the club (as a business) have benefitted from this money?

 

[Papas1982]

I really don't like the student discoubt scheme anywhere across the board. The only reasons students have less money is that they aren't working. Without wishing to tar them all with the same brush. The majority I know that complain of having no money. Easily spend 20 hours a week drinking. That time could be spent workig part time. Giving them money, to then pay full prices.

 

[virtuocity]

I really don't like the student discoubt scheme anywhere across the board. The only reasons students have less money is that they aren't working. Without wishing to tar them all with the same brush. The majority I know that complain of having no money. Easily spend 20 hours a week drinking. That time could be spent workig part time. Giving them money, to then pay full prices.

I'll add this to the stereotype pile.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Most clubs I know offer discounts to people under 30 so don't see the need to offer further discount to students ?

 

[DanFST]

I really don't like the student discoubt scheme anywhere across the board. The only reasons students have less money is that they aren't working. Without wishing to tar them all with the same brush. The majority I know that complain of having no money. Easily spend 20 hours a week drinking. That time could be spent workig part time. Giving them money, to then pay full prices.

You are correct, however in Final year there is no time to work. As a business the discounts have to be there, however I can see why people get annoyed by it.

I don't really understand why younger people working full time pay less than older members, to me that makes no sense.

 

[Leereed]

For me it depends on the discount our subs are £960 a year.If the discount was say 10-20 percent I would be ok with that.But if they were paying half price then that's a different matter.

 

[Papas1982]

You are correct, however in Final year there is no time to work. As a business the discounts have to be there, however I can see why people get annoyed by it.

I don't really understand why younger people working full time pay less than older members, to me that makes no sense.

ok, so for one year they have to work harder. But then, let's be honest. They finish uni that year around May. So how much golf we they be playing prior to that if the work load is that severe?

As as to the oap discount. I think if they've been paying into something for a long time then discounts are no bad thing.

 

[DanFST]

As as to the oap discount. I think if they've been paying into something for a long time then discounts are no bad thing.

I agree with that completely, however it should be done on a loyalty basis, x% off subs after Y years, that can stack up. IE: someone who's been paying full subs for 20 years and is 40. should pay the same as someone who pays full subs for 20 years and is 60.

My club has a Senior 65+ Fee, which is the cheapest. And there is no requirement to have been a member previously to be eligible.

Getting back on track RE: students. Unless you are from a very poor background or a very rich background. You have to work at Uni anyway, normal students loan won't even cover rent in most cities. However the Uni's do everything they can to limit you to 15 hours of work max a week. So it's catch 22.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Not many seniors over the age of 65 are getting a regular income and rely on pensions - so quite happy for them to have reduced fees

 

[LanDog]

I think there should be price brackets for age groups because students do have less money, I definitely don't have enough money to go out at all frequently, I'm pretty lucky that my university have memberships to a good local course so I can use that to suit my needs when I'm away, the only downfall is that I don't have a valid handicap

 

[Val]

I have no opinion other than well done on getting such a deal for a club like East Ren and I'll see you through the summer

 

[HomerJSimpson]

We offer age bracket discounts but nothing exclusive to students and to be honest I'm happy with that. I don't see why they need an extra incentive to join if these age related deals are around just because they've chosen to go and study somewhere. The likelihood of staying in the area and that club after graduation are slim so are the clubs really getting that much of a good deal?

 

[fundy]

When I was a student I paid half the relevant age fee as I was more than 100 miles away from home for 30+ weeks of the year, if that hadnt been offered I would have left the club without doubt. At university there were a few deals about but we chose just to play the odd game as nomads

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Very dificult subject, on one hand clubs need to attract new members, offering incentives is one way forward, having just put my son through Uni and him living at home, I can assure you the majority of students are not awash with cash or on the piss every night. getting the young into golf can only be a good thing.
As for the senior discount, again, not all of them are skint, quite a few are quite comfortable and can certainly afford a full fee.
I agree a loyalty discount would be a good thing, regardless of age.
Maybe the option of a reduced fee and a small charge each time you play (once it equals a years membership it's free then after) would work.
Currently, if you get a discount, good luck and long may it continue.